TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
<We are being asked to include no text in any graphic, but to include bubble
numbers with lead arrows anywhere we want to include text.>
<Has anyone else gone to this model? How has it been received by your users?
Any problems that rose and needed to be resolved?>
Hi CB,
I work for a localization firm. This method of handling graphics is
becoming very popular. We actually see more of this now then ever before.
Because, as you pointed out, it is extremely costly to localize a graphic
with text that is not editable in the documents' authoring application
(FrameMaker etc.). By using callouts only you end up not having to open up
the graphic in its original program (Illustrator, CAD or whatever) to
translate text. Some of our clients have reduced their costs by a third or
more by doing away with text that is embedded in a graphic.
One problem for usability that I have encountered is for graphics of an
actual product. A recent graphic of a router comes to mind. There was text
written directly on the router (port A or something like that). For these
graphics, IMHO, callouts do not do as good of a job. However, for many
hardware products like this, the labeling on the actual product is not
translated so the text in the graphic remains in English and often times the
localized version of this text is then put into a callout.
I think a lot depends on what type of product you're documenting.
Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online
Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new
project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l
Doc-To-Help 2005 now has RoboHelp Converter and HTML Source: Author
content and configure Help in MS Word or any HTML editor. No
proprietary editor! *August release. http://www.componentone.com/TECHWRL/DocToHelp2005
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- infoinfocus -dot- com -dot-
